Our Product Pick

Fujitsu Components America (San Jose, CA) has presented its new 2" portable, thermal, receipt/label printer, the FTP-62HWSL001. Measuring 3.4 in. (W) x 4 in. (L) x 1.7 in. (D), weighing 10.8 oz., this new model has print speed of 4.7 in./120 mm per second at 203-dpi resolution. A flip-open clamshell design permits drop-in paper loading, with full-shift 2,130-mAh Li-Ion battery. As expected, it supports iOS, Android, and Windows and offers Bluetooth V 2.1+EDR, USB, and NFC. Indicators are paper end, mark, battery voltage, cover open, and wireless error, with an IP-54 rating for water and dust and 5-ft./1.5-m drop resistance. Available immediately, the FTP-62HWSL001 is priced at $329 in 100-piece quantities.

Fujitsu's FTP-62HWSL001

COMPANY BUSINESS

Vantiv Visits Moneris

Vantiv (Cincinnati, OH) has snapped up Moneris Solutions, Inc.--that's Moneris USA--for $425 million. On closing of this transaction, expected by the end of this year, Vantiv will begin servicing Moneris USA's merchants and other business partners, including its relationship with BMO Harris Bank, which operates approximately 600 branches in the U.S. Based in Schaumburg, IL, Moneris USA processed approximately $12 billion in U.S. transaction volume in 2015.

"The acquisition will enable Moneris USA to continue its successful path and provide merchants the high level of service they've come to expect while leveraging Vantiv's scale and omnichannel payments capabilities," related Angela Brown, President and CEO at Moneris. "Working together with Vantiv, Moneris will continue to support our mutual cross-border customers with a focus on innovation and service." In its homeland of Canada, Moneris Solutions Corporation will remain the joint effort of the BMO Financial Group and Royal Bank of Canada.

"Acquiring Moneris USA will further accelerate Vantiv's growth in key high-growth channels," indicated Charles Drucker, President and CEO of Vantiv. "We look forward to serving their technology and bank partners with our deep payments expertise and strong customer service." Vantiv, the second largest payment processor in the U.S., serves more than 800,000 merchant locations and 1,400 financial institutions. It engages our channel through Vantiv Integrated Payments (so did Moneris USA).

Charles Drucker, President and CEO, Vantiv

A Delivery By (and For) Honeywell

In time for the holidays, and an expected torrent of e-commerce driven shipping, the U.S. Postal Service has fielded 5,000 of Honeywell's CN51 mobile computers. Workers at processing stations as well as drivers will utilize the CN51 to scan and track parcels at USPS. This continues the USPS's Surface Visibility Program, which launched in 2014, with 270,000 of Honeywell's Dolphin 99EX PDTs. For its efforts in 2014, Honeywell received one of the USPS's Supplier Excellence Awards.

Debuted in 2013 as an upgrade to the CN50, the CN51 offers choice of Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5 or Android 6.0 Marshmallow. It measures 6.5 in. (L) x 3 in. (W) x 1 in. (D) and weighs 12.3 oz. Included are features such as 4" resistive touchscreen, smart battery technology, one- and two-dimensional scanner, Bluetooth V 4, 802.11 Wi-Fi, CDMA/UMTS, and GPS. It holds the Texas Instruments OMAP Dual-Core CPU at 1.5 GHz, 1-GB RAM, and 16-GB Flash. An IP-65 rating and 5-ft./1.5-m drop resistance address durability.

"As consumers continue to expect fast, accurate delivery, the Postal Service needs to know the exact location of all of its parcels throughout the entire mail process," contributed Lisa London, President of Productivity Products at Honeywell Safety and Productivity Solutions. (Fort Mill, SC). "By incorporating Honeywell's mobile computing and scanning technology, the USPS gains better visibility into its operational performance and can use that data to make more informed decisions to improve customer service." A 12-year veteran of marketing and product management for Honeywell, London was promoted to her position in July.

USPS Deploys Honeywell's CN51 Mobile Computer

Worth Your While

NRF's Big Show
National Retail Federation
January 15-17
New York, NY

Inspire
Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA)
Jan. 29-Feb. 1
St. Kitts, West Indies

Transact
Electronic Transactions Association
May 10-12
Las Vegas, NV

NRA
National Restaurant Association
May 20-23
Chicago, IL

ALL IN THE FAMILY

AML Arms Paladin

AML (Euless, TX) has unveiled its new rugged vehicle-mounted computer, dubbed Paladin. In dimensions of 9.9 in. (W) x 8.3 in. (H) x 1.5 in. (D), and weight of 3 lbs., Paladin carries Freescale iMX6 CPU at 1 GHz, 1-GB RAM, and Android 5.1 Lollipop. It comes standard with 8-GB Flash and support for SD/SDHC. A high-resolution 9.7" capacitive touchscreen displays data, picture, and video content without hindering driver visibility, emphasized AML.

Paladin is equipped with an array of standard interfacing capabilities such as Ethernet, USB, RS-232, RS-485, and RS-422 and can be fixed via standard VESA 75 pattern or forklift mount from RAM. For wireless connectivity, both Bluetooth Version 4 and 802.11 Wi-Fi are standard. For shop-floor applications, the Paladin's HDMI port allows it to project images on larger monitors, with cabled networking via built-in Power-over-Ethernet. Operating temperature range is -4 to +140 Degrees F, and an optional sealed keyboard is offered.

"Paladin is the logical next step for vehicle-mounted computing. More and more of our customers are asking for the Android operating system and the capacitive touchscreen technology that today's users have grown accustomed to with their personal devices," reported Mike Kearby, President of AML. "With an MSRP of $1,595 it truly makes rugged computing affordable."

AML's Paladin Vehicle-Mounted Computer

Zebra Gallops to TC5

Zebra Technology Corporation (Lincolnshire, IL) has unwrapped its next-generation mobile computer, the TC5 Series. In two models, TC51 and TC56 (with GPS), "they look and feel like the most popular consumer-style smartphones but consistently perform in the toughest enterprise conditions," noted Joe White, VP of Enterprise Mobile Computing at Zebra. As performance, the TC5 has Qualcomm Snapdragon Hexa-Core CPU at 1.8 GHz, 2/4-GB RAM, 16/32-GB Flash, and Android 6.0 Marshmallow. In support of security, development tools, and mobile end-user apps, there's Zebra's Mobility DNA.

Weighing 8.8 oz., and measuring 6.1 in. (L) x 2.9 in. (W) x 0.7 in. (D), the TC5 Series has enhancements such as easily removable battery pack (4,300-mAh Li-Ion for 14 hrs. of run), 5" capacitive touchscreen (with Gorilla Glass), and customizable "Active Edge" keys (on both sides). As data capture, it furnishes Zebra's SE4710 one- and two-dimensional scan engine, 13-megapixel rear camera, and NFC. As communications, it supplies Bluetooth Version 4, 802.11 Wi-Fi, and 4G LTE WWAN. A light sensor automatically adjusts display backlight brightness.

In making its announcement, Zebra stressed the durability of the TC5 Series. With an operating temperature range of +14 to +122 Degrees F, it holds drop specification of 4 ft./1.2 m and 5 ft./1.5 m with boot accessory. As tumble specification: 500 at 1.6 ft./0.5 m. Also, for vibration and environmental conditions: MIL-STD-810G. "Zebra has shipped more than a million enterprise-class Android devices and applied that expertise to ensure customers benefit from the TC5 Series," postulated White.

TC5 Series Mobile Computer by Zebra

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ALLIANCES

An Electronic Punch Card, Says Verifone

A new smartphone-based loyalty scheme for the convenience store market has been developed by Verifone (San Francisco, CA) and Excentus Corporation (Dallas, TX). Described as an "electronic punch card" by the vendors, this solution runs through Verifone's Commander Site Controller. A simple mobile app will support iOS and Android, and Excentus Corporation will host the portal for merchants.

"Our vision is to enhance experiences for consumers and merchants whenever they are interacting with our products," declared Dan Yienger, SVP and GM of Verifone Global Petroleum. "With an industry leader like Excentus as our partner, we can offer added value that's meaningful to convenience stores and gas stations." Added Brandon Logsdon, CEO of Excentus Corporation, "Convenience retailers are facing increased competition from drug stores, dollar stores, quick-service restaurants, and coffee shops--which is why enhanced digital marketing and loyalty programs are now critical."

Available to convenience retailers starting in early 2017, basic punch card loyalty functionalities will be included on all Commander Site Controller and RubyCi installations by Verifone. Feature upgrades will be forthcoming, as well as white label versions of the mobile app. Verifone's Commander Site Controller supports all major petroleum and card brands. It incorporates the Conexxus Mobile Application Programming Interface (API).

A New Loyalty App by Verifone and Excentus

Toast Butters Up

One of the promising hospitality ISVs, the coyly named Toast (Boston, MA), has added inventory functionality. Significantly, this drills down to individual menu items, synchronizes with sales and invoices, and generates summary reports. "An end result is heightened operational intelligence that drives profitability, enhances day-to-day operations, and ultimately improves the guest experience," enthused Chris Comparato, CEO of Toast (which launched in 2013).

"We use the Toast Inventory module to generate orders, track variances, and to calculate the total value of our inventory at the end of each week," testified Sonya Livshits, Accountant for Ole Restaurant. "This is data that drives a major part of our business. We use the data to ensure that we're hitting our target cost of goods sold and to determine the price of our menu items." Also, it helps operators eliminate low performers, identify menu items that generate more revenue, and experiment with possible menu combinations.

In another move, Toast has integrated its POS with the restaurant management software from Ctuit (Novato, CA), entitled Radar and On The Fly. "A big win for our customers," stated Comparato, "[this] best-in-class business intelligence and labor scheduling ensures restaurateurs have the right tools to manage their unique challenges." As one advanced feature: employee schedules can be pushed back to the POS, preventing unauthorized access and unscheduled hours.

An Inventory Function for Toast POS

Code Corner

And now for something completely different. Revention (Houston, TX) has integrated with Insteon (Irvine, CA), an automation and control technology supplier. It allows the point-of-sale to control various devices such as light fixtures, door locks, wireless cameras, and thermostats. An owner may immediately determine how many activities are in use-- by regulating lighting of pool tables or dart boards, for example-- and validate appropriate fees are being charged. It should also help conserve energy costs and consolidate operations, according to the two parties. "Offering a networking tool like Insteon to our customers is a step forward into our future capabilities with the Internet of Things (IoT), an initiative currently being pursued by the restaurant industry," flourished Laura Gaudin, Director of Product Management at Revention.

NOTES FROM THE FIELD

One VAR's Growth Spurt

A leading system integrator in mobile computing and barcoding, the Technology Recovery Group, has leased another 14,000 sq. ft. of work space. As part of this expansion, it will move its retail-based operations to the All Pro Freight Facility at 1006 Crocker Road in Westlake, OH. Its barcoding business will remain at its 85,000-sq.-ft. headquarters at 31390 Viking Parkway in Westlake, OH. Established in 2002, TRG offers the full slate of hardware and software procurement, depot repairs, deployment services, device staging and configuration, remote device management, and 24/7 help-desk support.

"This new warehouse space is a tremendous step for TRG," exclaimed Dave Foyer, VP of Operations and Retail Services. "Our retail division has grown so rapidly in 2016 that we've completely run out of space for packing, staging, and rollouts. This new expansion will allow us to fulfill all of our customers' needs more quickly." (FYI: Amber Ferrara serves as Director of Strategic Alliances for TRG.)

TRG was already planning the construction of its new 30,000-sq.-ft. facility on Lake Road in nearby Rocky River, OH. Although the new building was scheduled for completion in late 2017, plans have now accelerated (with new date of completion not finalized). Its current headquarters, occupied approximately two years ago, was originally intended to last at least 10 years, according to TRG. It credits "large scale retail chain accounts" for the boom in activity.

Dave Foyer, VP of Operations and Retail Services, Technology Recovery Group

SML: Here's Window Dressing for RFID

SML has established three new RFID Solution Innovation Centers. The new center in Shanghai, China, opened in October and Mettmann, Germany, opened in November. The new center in Plano, TX, opened in August 2016, and is housed in the company's new SML RFID Headquarters. These join the existing RFID Innovation Centers in Clayton, NC, and Corby, England. SML chose these locations because of their proximity to major apparel companies and distribution centers.

"Whatever question a retailer has about RFID, they'll find the answer at our Innovation Centers and with the help of the SML team," suggested Dean Frew, CTO and SVP, RFID Solutions at SML. "In 2015 only six percent of retailers used RFID systems, but the massive RFID retail rollouts coming in 2016 and 2017 mean more companies will move forward following their peers. They'll be looking for answers."

"With successful deployments of SML's Clarity software in many of the largest retailers in the world, the next wave of retailers will need such information," continued Frew. "In addition to the new RFID Innovation Centers, we will continue to have SML road shows like the pop-up retail stores in New York and London in October where the latest RFID tags, RFID equipment, and Clarity software were demonstrated for retailers and brand owners." As some readers may recall, SML was formerly called Xterprise. It was one of the early pioneers in RFID.

SML's Pop Up Retail Center in New York

Key Advertiser Links

Be sure to visit these vendors for the latest in channel products and offers for resellers.

POS & Peripherals
AnywhereCommerce
Bematech
CRS, Inc.
Harbortouch
Hewlett-Packard
Pioneer POS
Poindus America
POSBANK USA
Posiflex
Tailwind Solutions

POS Software
Action Systems Inc.

Barcode & Transaction Printers
Brother Mobile
Citizen
CognitiveTPG
Godex Americas
Honeywell

Cash Drawers
MMF POS

Data Collection
AML
CipherLab
Code Corporation
Honeywell
Janam Technologies
Unitech America

Distributors
Ingram Micro

Integrated Payment Solutions
Datacap Systems
Moneris
Payment Logistics
Vantiv IP

Keyboards & Mobile POS
Cherry Americas, LLC
TG3 Electronics

Receipt Printers
Bixolon America
CognitiveTPG
Epson America
Star Micronics

Thermal Printers
Seiko Instruments USA

INSTALLATIONS

A Visit to Dr. Worldpay

Worldpay has been chosen to provide payment processing services for healthcare provider, HealthAsyst. As benefits, Worldpay cited fast access to cash, flexible pricing, and 24/7 U.S.-based customer support. Healthcare facilities signing up for for so-called CheckinAsys can also employ Worldpay's optional point-to-point encryption (P2PE) to protect cardholder information and minimize data breach risks. Both firms are based in Atlanta, GA.

"With the advent of high-deductible, high-copay health plans, patient payment collection is a significant challenge for healthcare facilities," counseled Umesh Bajaj, CEO of HealthAsyst. "By providing multiple payment options through Worldpay during the patient check-in process, facilities can expedite revenue collection at the point-of-service and reduce bad debts. CheckinAsyst will provide multiple payment options like card swipe, manual card entry, card-on-file, and payment plans."

"Positive changes are taking place in healthcare payments with innovative apps and online portal solutions allowing facilities to deliver a superior patient experience," observed Frido Tober, President of Strategic Partnerships for Worldpay U.S. "With CheckinAsyst, patients gain control of the office visit from checking in to completing forms, and now with the added flexibility to pay the way they choose. We are excited to help HealthAsyst simplify payments integration and provide a competitive advantage to their healthcare facilities customers."

Payment Processing for the Healthcare Arena

Giddy Up, Aptos

Aptos (Atlanta, GA) has installed its POS for apparel retailer, United Fashions of Texas. Started in 1976, and operating under the banner of Melrose Family Fashions, United Fashions of Texas will deploy Aptos Store within its 100 locations and 345 registers throughout Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and California. Included will be mobile functionality that empowers associates to engage with customers.

Additionally, United Fashions of Texas will deploy Aptos CRM (Customer Relationship Management). "A 360-degree view of each customer," according to its developer, Aptos CRM provides tools for customer capture, analysis, segmentation, and campaign management. Aptos POS and CRM will interact seamlessly with United Fashions of Texas's existing retail technology, which includes Aptos Merchandising, Warehouse Management, and Sales Audit, not coincidentally.

"Given the strategic significance of this investment in our business, we conducted extensive due diligence and a rigorous and highly competitive evaluation process," recounted T.J. Flowers, President of Melrose Family Fashions. "We selected Aptos due to the company's extensive experience in the apparel and footwear categories, and its technology leadership in both point-of-sale and retail CRM. We have enjoyed an excellent working relationship with Aptos over the years and look forward to continuing that strategic partnership into the future."

United Fashions of Texas Selects Aptos POS

Channel Factoid

As businesses gear up for the holiday season, they are optimistic about sales and predict growth for this quarter and into 2017, according to the American Express Holiday Growth Pulse. Specifically in the retail industry, nearly six in ten (59%) of small businesses think holiday sales will be stronger compared to last year, while more than one-third (34%) think they will be roughly the same. Small business retailers (companies with fewer than 100 employees and annual revenues of $250,000 or greater) are not alone in their positive outlook-- 81% of middle market retailers (companies with $10 million to $1 billion in annual revenues) also feel sales will be stronger than last year. As retailers of any size look for ways to succeed, many will offer sales and promotions. More than six in ten (64%) of small business retailers, and eight in ten (88%) of middle market retailers, think they will need to be more aggressive in sales and promotions this year. A similar six in ten (59%) of small business owners see their potential for growth in 2017 as contingent on a successful holiday season. Middle market retailers feel even stronger about the importance of the holidays, with 89% saying their potential for growth in 2017 will be so contingent.

Holiday Season Critical

HELLO GOODBYE

Suzan in Canada

Ingenico Group has announced that its Managing Director of Canada, Suzan Denoncourt, has been named Co-Chair of the Board for ACT Canada. Founded in 1989, ACT Canada serves as the non-profit trade association for payments and associated data security in Canada. It has approximately 150 members, including banks, card brands, processors, hardware vendors, solution providers, and government regulators. Since joining Ingenico Canada (Mississauga, ON, Canada) in 2005, Denoncourt served as VP of Market Development, then VP of Sales and Business Development. She previously worked at Maxwell Technology.

"The payments industry is complex and evolving at an ever-rapid pace. Businesses face ongoing challenges in trying to adapt, while leveraging the myriad of opportunities to gain a competitive advantage," commented Denoncourt. "I am proud to be part of an association dedicated to sharing insights and helping our members navigate the risks and opportunities borne out of this constant market evolution."

"We are committed to providing our members with access and insight into timely information on key market forces, advances, players, and challenges in the payments industry," remarked Catherine Johnston, CEO of ACT Canada. "Suzan has vast industry experience and a solid track record for driving innovation. We are delighted to have her as our Co-Chair of the Board and look forward to working with her to tackle today's payments issues head on."

Suzan Denoncourt, Managing Director, Ingenico Canada

Darren in Stratix-Phere

Stratix Corporation (Norcross, GA) has engaged Darren Barnes as its SVP of Sales and Marketing. Barnes brings more than two decades of experience in technology. During his career, he has overseen sales teams at Motorola, Avaya, Cisco, TeleTech, and Core BTS. As part of his responsibilities, he has been charged with expanding the mobility solution provider's presence into new verticals and geographies.

"Darren's market insights, strong leadership, and customer success focus will help Stratix provide value to a growing base of enterprise customers," relayed Gina Gallo, CEO of Stratix. "He understands how to build and lead solutions-oriented sales teams and deliver results while meeting customer needs." In October, Stratix was named Global Partner of the Year by related software ISV, SOTI.

"Enterprise mobility management is a market with huge potential, and Stratix has the solution portfolio, experience, and expertise to make significant gains in this rapidly growing field," proposed Barnes. "I'm thrilled to work with Gina and the rest of the Stratix team to continue developing and expanding our MMS (Managed Mobility Services) strategy with leading global enterprise organizations." In recent internal research, Stratix sampled 200,000 deployments from 2013 to 2015 and found that use of consumer devices skyrocketed to 60% from 20%. Use of Android jumped to 70% from 20% of all rollouts during that time.

Darren Barnes, SVP of Sales and Marketing, Stratix